Global General

Al-Qaida's affiliate in North Africa declares role in Niger abductions

By John Irish (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-23 08:16

PARIS - Al-Qaida's North African wing has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of seven foreigners in Niger last week, including five French nationals, the Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera reported on Tuesday.

French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux was expected to meet on Wednesday with Mali's president to assist in the situation.

The kidnapping marks an escalation between the group and France. Al-Qaida's north African arm (AQIM) executed 78-year-old French hostage Michel Germaneau in July after French commandos tried to free him.

France itself, meanwhile, is on heightened alert for possible terror attacks this week after receiving a tip-off that a female suicide bomber was planning to attack Paris' metro system.

This fear is well warranted: bombings and other violence - including an airplane hijacking - spilled over into France from African shores during the Second Algerian Civil War of the 1990s, of which the AQIM is a byproduct.

In an audio recording played by Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television, a man identifying himself as AQIM spokesman Salah Abu Mohammed said the group was behind the kidnappings and would soon present its demands to France.

"We inform the government that the mujahideen will soon give its legitimate demands," Mohammed said. "We are also warning against any other acts of stupidity," the spokesman said.

The abductions in Niger's northern uranium mining zone on Thursday were the latest in a string in the Sahel region of Africa that have been claimed by AQIM. Niger provides about a third of the uranium used in France's nuclear power plants.

Until now militants had not been active in the region where the five French, one Togolese and one Malagasy were abducted.

The recording on Al-Jazeera said Abou Zeid, who leads one of two AQIM factions in the Sahara zone and is accused of killing a British hostage last year and Germaneau, carried out the recent raid.

A Niger government official said on Saturday that around 100 French anti-terrorism specialists had arrived in Niger to help hunt for the hostages, while French commandos had arrived in neighboring Burkina Faso.